Vise-held chain saw sharpener



April 2, 1963 I E. M. TRAvls 3,083,591

- VISE-HELD CHAIN SAW SHARPENER I Origina1 Filed Sept. 19, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG! FIG. 2

INVENTOR ERNEST M. TRAVIS April 2, 1963 .M. TRAVIS 3,083,591

VISE-HE'LD CHAIN SAW SHARPENER Original Filed Sept. l9, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 8

INVENTOR. ERNEST M. TRAVIS 3,983,591 JlSE-ELD CHAiN SAW EsHARPENER Ernest M. Travis, didney, Iowa, assignor to John W. Orton, Sidney, Eowa @riginai application Sept. 19, 1958, Ser. No. 762,184, new Patent No. 3,023,646, dated Mar. 6, i962. Divided and this application Dec. 12, 1961, No. 159,235

2 (Ilainis. ((Zl. 76-61) This invention relates to vise-held chain saw sharpeners and more particularly it is an object of this invention to provide a sharpener which will sharpen a saw more elficien'tly, quickly and precisely than heretofore.

A particular object of the invention is to provide a viseheld chain saw sharpener having a back stop adapted to closely fit against the back side of the chain at a tooth being sharpened so that the force of the filing is absorbed without vibration of the tooth, for more rapid and accurate filing.

A further object of the invention is to provide gauge means which engages the top of the tooth being filed, holding the entire sharpener mechanism in a position with respect to the top of the tooth being filed so that the maximum depth of cutting of the file itself is accurately fixed. Heretofore gauge members of the sharpener engaged the upper surfaces of other teeth widely spaced from the tooth being actually sharpened and I have found that the positioning is much more accurate when the very tooth that i being sharpened is used to receive the gauge members thereagainst, because of the variation in height of diiferent teeth.

Another object of the invention is to provide a more proper positioning of a plate for indicating the angle and degrees at which the file is positioned with respect to the saw, and particularly in the placing of this degree plate on the top of the sharpener where it can be readily seen.

Yet a further object is to provide interlocking means in the degree plate and in the attached saw carrying frame member for making it possible to rigidly lock and easily unlock the frame member from different degree position on the gauge plate.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for carrying a file which in effect provides an extension on the outer end of the file whereby a much greater portion of the length of the tile can be used for actual filing than heretofore. For example, in the patent to Nielsen, No. 2,762,241, issued September 11, 195-6, entitled Portable Chain Saw Filing Engaging Device, a guide rod is bent downwardly toward the file at its outer end and this bent portion cannot slide through the opening in the guide rod carrier.

Heretofore the back end of the file has been held by an attachment of set screws through an aperture in a member attaching the file to a guide rod and l have found that the use of the set screw tends to cause a curve in the file when it is tightened too tight. It is therefore an object of my invention to provide means for engaging the file at this point along Wide surfaces on each side thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide more simple and quickly applicable means for adjusting the height of'the file, whereby fewer parts are necessary.

A particular object is to provide means for clamping the sharpener on the saw providing an elongated clamping member having a lever at one end for ease of clamping and an offset portion at the center functioning as a cam and pressing against the saw bar precisely at the position of the exact tooth being sharpened for providing rigidity, this clamping device providing for rapid removal of the sharpener for shifting it from tooth to tooth as sharpening proceeds.

aired grates .Patent Yet another object of the invention is to provide means in cooperation with the clamp above mentioned for engaging the back side of the saw bar and provided with resilient engaging portions :of rubber-like material for gripping against the saw bar to prevent shifting of the sharpener lengthwise on the saw bar.

A further object is to provide and adjustable engagement between the saw bar and back side engaging members, and members to which the latter are attached so that en aging members can be positioned to en age parts of the saw bar which are to the sides of any openings which are above any openings which might be in the center of the saw bar.

A further object of the invention is to provide a special clamp portion for a saw sharpener which is adapted to be gripped in a vise on the work bench and which is provided with means for receiving the saw chain and for quickly clamping and releasing the saw chain for rapid shifting of the saw chain from a position for sharpening one tooth to a position for sharpening the next, and so 7 forth.

A particular object is to provide a slidable and adjustable engagement between those parts of the sharpener which support the file and that part of the sharpener which is held by the vise with quickly releasable clamp means for clamping the two in a desired position for regulating the filing.

A further object is to provide resilient means for urging the tile supporting portion of the sharpener upwardly with respect to the portion that is received in the vise whereby whenever the clamp is released, the file and associated parts automatically move upwardly so that this chain can be shifted laterally with one hand and without the need for using a hand to hold the file upwardly as the chain is moved laterally.

A further object is to provide quickly releasable cam action chain clamping.

This application is a divisional application of the applicants co-pending patent application Serial No. 762,184, filed September 19, 1953 since matured as Patent No. 3,023,646, dated March 6, 1962.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, drawings and claims, the scope of the invention not being limited to the drawings themselves as the drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating a way in which the principles of this invention can be applied.

ther embodiments of the invention utilizing the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a View showing the rearward side of a portion of a saw bar with the device of this invention disposed in position thereon.

FIGURE 2 is a View showing the forward side of the bar and the lower portion of the sharpener.

FIGURE 3 is a view-in-section showing a cross section taken along the lines 33 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a modification of the lower portion of the saw sharpener differing from the lower portion shown in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a vieW-in-section taken along the line 55 of PIJURE 4.

FZGURE 6 is a top plan view of a central portion of the sharpener of FIGURE 1 and is used with either the lower portion of FIGURE 2 or FIGURE 4.

FEGURE 7 is a detail in perspective of the attachment of the file to the forward end of the carrier.

FIGURE 8 is a side view of the upper portion of the 3 sharpener of FIGURE 4 which is identical to a side view of the sharpener of FIGURE 1 except for the lower parts of certain frame posts shown in FIGURE 8 which are in accord with FIGURE 4 rather than FIGURE 2.

'Ihevise-held chain saw sharpener of this invention as seen in FIGURE 1 is for attachment to the vertical saw bar 10 of a chain saw having a saw chain 12 carrying saw teeth 14.

The sharpener includes a lower L-shaped frame having a horizontal sawtooth top-engaging portion generally indicated at 20 and includes two horizontally spaced apart sections 24 and 26 each having an under surface disposed horizontally for engaging the upper sides of a plurality of teeth of a horizontally extending row of the teeth 14. In this way the tooth top engaging portion sections 24 and 26 have the effect of positioning the entire sharpener assembly accurately with respect to the teeth and in operation one of the teeth engaged by the tooth top engaging portion 20 is the tooth actually being filed.

' The invention also comprises an upper L-shaped frame mounted on and extending below the tooth top engaging portion 20 and having many parts. Forming in one sense a part of the lower frame is a chain side engaging portion 30, but only in the sense that it supports the tooth top engaging portion 20. The chain side engaging portion 39 has a flat vertical surface on its forward side for receiving the rearward side of the chain 12 to absorb the force of filing and to steady the tooth-being filed for more rapid and accurate filing with lesser vibration. The chain side engaging portion 30is disposed beneath and attached to the rearward side of the-topengaging portion 26 and the chain side engaging portion has a notch 32 therein through which an elongated file 34 is approximately horizontally received. The notch 32 can beformed in the manner shown in FIGURE 2, in which the chain.

are arranged with those edges which are adjacent each other inclinedly. disposed from closer rearward sides to more widely spaced forward sides to give a maximum of clearance for the file and also a maximum of support.

Clamping means is attached to the lower end of the frame for clamping against each side of the saw bar and such clampingmeans can be of two different types one of which will be described at this time, being shown in FIGURE 2, in which upper L-shaped members 46 having horizontal portions 48 are disposed above and engaging said tooth top engaging sections, the members 46 being spaced apart and on each side of the notch 32.

The clamping means of FIGURE 2 has vertical portions of its members 46 which extend downwardly alongside the forward side of the. saw bar 10, the lower ends of the portions 50-being out-turnedas seen at 54.

A cam action lever 69 is provided having what can be called a shaft portion 62 extending. generally horizontally and rotatably mounted in upwardly curled struck-out portions 66 of the members St the shaft portion 62 having an offset clamping portion 70 at its center and disposed between the portions 50 and the clamping portion 70 is adapted to engage. against and clamp against the forward side of the saw bar when a handle portion 76 of the camlever member 60- is swung downwardly from a horizontal release position.

The frame posts 40 extend downwardly alongside the rearward side of the saw bar 10 opposite the portions 50' and have resilient bumpers 80 thereon at their lower ends for firmly engaging the back sidev of the saw bar 10.

. horizontal portion 1% attached to the portion 104 and disposed on a level with the file 34 and extending forwardly a substantial distance. The forwardly extending portion 106 is hollow and receives the rearward end of the round file 34 and the elongation of the portion 106 tends to have the effect of extending the length of the file as is of advantage for a longer stroke with a file of a givenrsize.

The forward end of the upper elongated portion 102 of the file carrier is received through a forward vertical support 112 and pinned thereto as at 114, the support 112 extending downwardly and receiving therethrough the forward end of the file 34, a handle 116 of the file 34- being disposed on its outer forward end.

The support 112 is preferably of a U-shape as seen in top plan view whereby the sides of the support 112 are disposed against opposite sides of the file and a bolt 120 is horizontally disposed through the sides of thesupport 112 and receives a wing nut 122 thereon which when tightened presses against the sides of the file providing a firm support. r

The elongated portion 102 of the file carrier is disposed through a first part of a file carrier mounting generally indicated at 142 and which has two parts, the other part including an inverted housingthe lower side of which is open, and being called the second or upper part 144. Suitable means, best seen in FIGURE 8 and comprising a member having a bolt 152 disposed horizontally therethroughare provided, the member 150 be ing suitably attached to the first or lower part 140 of the file carrier mounting.

The bolt 152 can also be a pin or rivet and extends through the side of the second or upper portion 144 ofthe carrier mounting whereby the lower mounting portion. 149 is pivotally carried by the upper part 144 whereby the file carrier elongated portion 102 is free to assume various inclined positions with respect to the horizontalto permit the file 34 to be selectively inclined as best seen in FIGURE 8.

The upper and lower parts of the mounting are both preferably of U-shape and are disposed opening downwardly and there is a hollow space thereby formed below the top. of the first part 140 and above the file carrier elongated portion 102' in which absorbent packing is received which can be soaked with oil to lubricate the file carrier in its sliding movements.

The. sides of the upper part 144 ofthe mounting are slotted for receiving therethrough a bolt 164 withthe wing nut 166' on its other end whereby when the nut isv drawn up'the sides of the upper part 144 press against and firmly hold'the lower carrier. part 14th The" upper carrier mounting part has a bolt extending vertically therethrough which is also disposed" through .azhorizontal bar 182 which forms a part ofthe frame and the wing nut 184' on the bolt 180 permits the releasable clamping of the upper carrier part 144 inany one of many positions of different rotated relation about the axis of the bolt 180.

The bar 182 is suitably secured on the posts'40 above mar the tile carrier mounting 142 by means of nuts 21% for the adjustable vertical positioning of the bar 132.

A modification of the lower or clamping portion of the invention is shown in FIGURE 4 and is a substitute for the part shown in FIGURE 2. Referring to FIGURES 4 and 5 we find two frame posts 4!} similar to the frame posts '49 of the sharpener of FIGURES 1 and 2, but in FIGURE 4 the frame has a vertical lower portion 309 which is fiat on its forward side and on its rearward side and is provided with a vertically elongated slot 362 therethrough. The vertical lower frame portion is secured to the bolts 40 by having its ends curled about the bolts 40 as best seen at 301. Suitable nuts 303 are disposed above and below the curled portions 301 and clamp thereagainst to firmly hold the latter in place on the bolts 40. The back portion of the clamping means of FIGURES 4 and 5 comprises a vertically disposed plate 3% slidably arranged against the forward side of the vertical lower frame portion 390.

The forward portion of the clamping means is disposed forwardly of the rearward portion 3% and comprises a vertically disposed clamping member 308.

A vise-receivable bar 309, adapted to be gripped in the jaws 31% of a vise, has its forward sides disposed against the back side of said vertical lower frame portion and is slidable thereagainst, the bar 399 having an aperture therethrough disposed in alignment with the vertically elongated slot 392 in the vertical lower frame portion, a bolt 32!) is disposed through the aperture in the bar 369 and through the forward and rearward clamping members 3% and 396 and the forward end of the bolt 32% receives a cam lever 322 attached thereto which latter is preferably of a U-shape having side 324 disposed one on each side of a head 326 of the bolt 320 at the forward side of the bolt 320, the sides 324 being secured to the bolt head 326 by a pin 32%.

The forward or terminal ends of the sides 324 project forwardly of the bolt head and are adapted to press against the forward side of a series of spacing washers 334- which are disposed between the bolt head 326 and the forward clamping member 398 whereby when the cam lever 322 is placed in a horizontal outwardly extended position its inner ends swing from the position shown in FIGURE 5 to a position pressing against the washers 334 for clamping the forward and rearward clamping members about the saw bar and for clamping the forward and rearward clamping members and the vise-receivable bar 3 99 in a fixed position with respect to the lower vertical frame portion 300.

Suitable means is provided for assuring that the bar 399 and the forward and rearward clamping members 308 and 306 are movable only in a vertical direction with respect to the lower frame portion 3% and such means preferably comprises the provision of a second slot 350 below the first slot 302, the second slot being also through the lower frame portion 3% and also being vertically elongated for the purpose of receiving a bolt 352 having a head adjacent the forward clamping member 398 and a nut 3-54 tightened against the rearward side of the vise receivable bar 309.

Two springs are atached to the lower edge of the vertical frame portion 330 by booking them under outwardly and downwardly bent struck-out portions 379 of the portion 309. The springs 372 bend upwardly one on each side are attached by pegs 380 to the upper end of the bar 399 of the vise receivable bar 309 and extend upwardly and whereby these springs 372 by their tension tend to urge the lower vertical frame portion 360 and the file which is indirectly attached thereto upwardly whenever the cam lever 322 is released so as to hold the file clear of such chain during new positioning of the chain with respect to the file for the filing of a subsequent tooth of said saw chain.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a vise-held chain saw sharpener constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use, by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptibleof some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof, and for this reason, I do not Wish to he understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice, except as claimed.

I claim:

1. A vise-held chain saw sharpener for attachment to the vertical saw bar of a chain saw comprising a tooth top-engaging portion comprising two horizontally spaced apart sections each having an undersurface disposed horizontally for engaging the upper sides of a plurality of teeth of a horizontally extending row of teeth of a chain carried by said saw bar for positioning the sharpener accurately, a frame mounted on and extending above and below said tooth top engaging portion, clamping means attached to the lower end of said frame and adapted to clamp against each side of said saw bar to secure the sharpener in place, a chain side engaging portion having a fiat vertical forward surface for receiving the rearward side of said chain to absorb the force of filing and to steady the tooth being filed for more rapid and accurate filing with lesser vibration, said chain side engaging portion being disposed benea h said top engaging portions and forming a part of said frame and having a notch extending downwardly into it from its upper end between said top engaging portions, an elongated file generally horizontally disposed and extending through said notch, a file carrier having an upper elongated generally horizontal portion above said file, means attaching said file to said file carrier, a file carrier mounting slidably receiving said elongated portion of said file carrier, said file carrier mounting having an open space therein and said open space being positioned above the file carrier, absorbent material positioned in the open space of the file carrier mounting for retaining oil for lubricating the file carrier, and means adjustably attaching said file carrier on said frame for disposing said file at a pluraliity of angles with respect to said chain side engaging portion, and in which said clamping means comprises: a back portion for engaging one side of said saw bar, said clamping means having a forward portion movably attached to said frame for movements toward and away from said back portion, and manually operable means comprising a cam lever for releasably clamping said forward portion toward said back portion to clamp a saw bar therebetween and in which said clamping means is attached to said frame in the following manner: said frame having a vertical lower frame portion which is flat on its forward and rearward sides and is provided with a slot therethrough which is vertically elongated, said back portion of said clamping means comprising a vertically disposed plate slidably arranged against the forward side of said vertical lower frame portion, said forward portion of said clamping means comprising a vertically disposed forward clamping member disposed forwardly of said back portion plate, a vise receivable bar having a forward side disposed against the back side of said vertical lower frame portion and vertically slidable thereagainst, said bar having an aperture therethrough disposed in alignment with said vertically elongated slot in said vertical lower frame portion, a bolt disposed through said aperture in said bar and through said forward and rearward clamping members, means attaching said cam lever to the forward end of said bolt, and a nut on said bolt being disposed on the rearward side of said vise receivable bar whereby when said cam lever is operated said bar is clamped against nd fixedly positioned with respect to said vertical lower frame portion, and means correlating said bar said clamping members and said vertical lower frame portion for causing said bar and clamping members to be movable ward side of said vertical lower frame portion and err-- tends upwardly therefrom, means attachingthe upper end of said spring means to said bar whereby said spring means by its tension tends to urge said vertical frame portion and the file indirectly attached thereto up'wardly from saidsaw. bar whereby the file is quickly removed from filing posi-' 19 2,900,850

tion by saidsprings upon release of said cam lever so as to hold t'he file clear of said chain during a new positioning of the chain with respect to the file for the filing of a subsequent tooth of said saw chain.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,859,642 Travis Nov. v11, 1958 Travis Aug'. 25, 1959 

1. A VISE-HELD CHAIN SAW SHARPENER FOR ATTACHMENT TO THE VERTICAL SAW BAR OF A CHAIN SAW COMPRISING A TOOTH TOP-ENGAGING PORTION COMPRISING TWO HORIZONTALLY SPACED APART SECTIONS EACH HAVING AN UNDERSURFACE DISPOSED HORIZONTALLY FOR ENGAGING THE UPPER SIDES OF A PLURALITY OF TEETH OF A HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING ROW OF TEETH OF A CHAIN CARRIED BY SAID SAW BAR FOR POSITIONING THE SHARPENER ACCURATELY, A FRAME MOUNTED ON AND EXTENDING ABOVE AND BELOW SAID TOOTH TOP ENGAGING PORTION, CLAMPING MEANS ATTACHED TO THE LOWER END OF SAID FRAME AND ADAPTED TO CLAMP AGAINST EACH SIDE OF SAID SAW BAR TO SECURE THE SHARPENER IN PLACE, A CHAIN SIDE ENGAGING PORTION HAVING A FLAT VERTICAL FORWARD SURFACE FOR RECEIVING THE REARWARD SIDE OF SAID CHAIN TO ABSORB THE FORCE OF FILING AND TO STEADY THE TOOTH BEING FILED FOR MORE RAPID AND ACCURATE FILING WITH LESSER VIBRATION, SAID CHAIN SIDE ENGAGING PORTION BEING DISPOSED BENEATH SAID TOP ENGAGING PORTIONS AND FORMING A PART OF SAID FRAME AND HAVING A NOTCH EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY INTO IT FROM ITS UPPER END BETWEEN SAID TOP ENGAGING PORTIONS, AN ELONGATED FILE GENERALLY HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED AND EXTENDING THROUGH SAID NOTCH, A FILE CARRIER HAVING AN UPPER ELONGATED GENERALLY HORIZONTAL PORTION ABOVE SAID FILE, MEANS ATTACHING SAID FILE TO SAID FILE CARRIER, A FILE CARRIER MOUNTING SLIDABLY RECEIVING SAID ELONGATED PORTION OF SAID FILE CARRIER, SAID FILE CARRIER MOUNTING HAVING AN OPEN SPACE THEREIN AND SAID OPEN SPACE BEING POSITIONED ABOVE THE FILE CARRIER, ABSORBENT MATERIAL POSITIONED IN THE OPEN SPACE OF THE FILE CARRIER MOUNTING FOR RETAINING OIL FOR LUBRICATING THE FILE CARRIER, AND MEANS ADJUSTABLY ATTACHING SAID FILE CARRIER ON SAID FRAME FOR DISPOSING SAID FILE AT A PLURALITY OF ANGLES WITH RESPECT TO SAID CHAIN SIDE ENGAGING PORTION, AND IN WHICH SAID CLAMPING MEANS COMPRISES: A BACK PORTION FOR ENGAGING ONE SIDE OF SAID SAW BAR, SAID CLAMPING MEANS HAVING A FORWARD PORTION MOVABLY ATTACHED TO SAID FRAME FOR MOVEMENTS TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID BACK PORTION, AND MANUALLY OPERABLE MEANS COMPRISING A CAM LEVER FOR RELEASABLY CLAMPING SAID FORWARD PORTION TOWARD SAID BACK PORTION TO CLAMP A SAW BAR THEREBETWEEN AND IN WHICH SAID CLAMPING MEANS IS ATTACHED TO SAID FRAME IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER: SAID FRAME HAVING A VERTICAL LOWER FRAME PORTION WHICH IS FLAT ON ITS FORWARD AND REARWARD SIDES AND IS PROVIDED WITH A SLOT THERETHROUGH WHICH IS VERTICALLY ELONGATED, SAID BACK PORTION OF SAID CLAMPING MEANS COMPRISING A VERTICALLY DISPOSED PLATE SLIDABLY ARRANGED AGAINST THE FORWARD SIDE OF SAID VERTICAL LOWER FRAME PORTION, SAID FORWARD PORTION OF SAID CLAMPING MEANS COMPRISING A VERTICALLY DISPOSED FORWARD CLAMPING MEMBER DISPOSED FORWARDLY OF SAID BACK PORTION PLATE, A VISE RECEIVABLE BAR HAVING A FORWARD SIDE DISPOSED AGAINST THE BACK SIDE OF SAID VERTICAL LOWER FRAME PORTION AND VERTICALLY SLIDABLE THEREAGAINST, SAID BAR HAVING AN APERTURE THERETHROUGH DISPOSED IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID VERTICALLY ELONGATED SLOT IN SAID VERTICAL LOWER FRAME PORTION, A BOLT DISPOSED THROUGH SAID APERTURE IN SAID BAR AND THROUGH SAID FORWARD AND REARWARD CLAMPING MEMBERS, MEANS ATTACHING SAID CAM LEVER TO THE FORWARD END OF SAID BOLT, AND A NUT ON SAID BOLT BEING DISPOSED ON THE REARWARD SIDE OF SAID VISE RECEIVABLE BAR WHEREBY WHEN SAID CAM LEVER IS OPERATED SAID BAR IS CLAMPED AGAINST AND FIXEDLY POSITIONED WITH RESPECT TO SAID VERTICAL LOWER FRAME PORTION, AND MEANS CORRELATING SAID BAR SAID CLAMPING MEMBERS AND SAID VERTICAL LOWER FRAME PORTION FOR CAUSING SAID BAR AND CLAMPING MEMBERS TO BE MOVABLE TOGETHER VERTICALLY ONLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID VERTICAL LOWER FRAME PORTION. 